“I’m trying to be an artist, but my parents just don’t...

“I’m trying to be an artist, but my parents just don’t understand. I showed a painting to my mom, and I was like: ‘Do you like it?’
And she was like: ‘I guess, but why is there a cigarette? Are you smoking now?’
And I was like: ‘No, Mom. The cigarette represents pain.’
And she was like: ‘Did we not love you enough?’”

(Tehran, Iran)